Thunderbird Club

[Gaolee]

I started on Gibson basses and have kept going back to them my entire life. Not knocking other stuff as I always have a P bass or two laying around, but something about Gibson’s have always been just a bit more ‘interesting’ to me

I didn't start on them, but ended up with one fairly early on. I got a P after having played more than 20 years. Mostly just because. I like it well enough and it has its place. But, I like what Gibson made and designed better. Goes for six string guitars, too.

 

[JJR58]

Man, i gotta get with the program here @ProgressiveDoom . Just occurred to me that @TBird1958 might want to be in on the action for our golf suare'.
If that's the case, i'd hope she wants to ride with us in the cart. Right in the middle of us.

 

[JJR58]

Where's Mike @theFixer?, check this out, not sure if it's your thing or not, but the neck sure looks like it is.

Gibson Victory Standard Early 80's Natural

 

[GBassNorth]

My humble collection of basses that get the most work. Note which one moved to the center
View attachment 2846839

Kitty Daddy - some nice basses there. Your upright really caught my attention. I've never played upright and my only fretless bass guitar has a lined fretboard so I don't know if I could ever really get the hang of an upright, but I think I'd like to try.

I was looking at a barely used mint condition Englehardt for about $1300. Is that a good beginner upright or should I hold out for something better built? It looks like it's only acoustic right now and I'd assume I'll want to amp it. If I go down that path what kind of a budget should I prep for? I already have a GK 210 combo amp that I suppose would work well with an upright and I don't envision any bow type work so that may be a couple of costs out of the way.

Your thoughts and advice to the upright curious are appreciated. If others with upright experience want to chime in I'm all ears.

 

[GBassNorth]

Man, i gotta get with the program here @ProgressiveDoom . Just occurred to me that @TBird1958 might want to be in on the action for our golf suare'.
If that's the case, i'd hope she wants to ride with us in the cart. Right in the middle of us.

Just be sure to let the starter know you want to be part of a threesome that day, otherwise they'll try to slip a total stranger in the mix to make it a foursome. Some key golf tips that'll help you score good - clean your balls every chance you get; don't get frustrated if you miss the hole; concentrate on your aim and stroke; and always keep your head down.

 

[JJR58]

Just be sure to let the starter know you want to be part of a threesome that day, otherwise they'll try to slip a total stranger in the mix to make it a foursome. Some key golf tips that'll help you score good - clean your balls every chance you get; don't get frustrated if you miss the hole; concentrate on your aim and stroke; and always keep your head down.

Wanna be the forth? Don't think i didn't catch all the innuendo's.

 

[GBassNorth]

Wanna be the forth? Don't think i didn't catch all the innuendo's.

You do realize the word "innuendo" is in fact also an innuendo.
In-u-end-O!

 

[JJR58]

You do realize the word "innuendo" is in fact also an innuendo.
In-u-end-O!

 

[dukeorock]

Where's Mike @theFixer?, check this out, not sure if it's your thing or not, but the neck sure looks like it is.

Gibson Victory Standard Early 80's Natural

That’s a fine looking bass right there!

Kitty Daddy - some nice basses there. Your upright really caught my attention. I've never played upright and my only fretless bass guitar has a lined fretboard so I don't know if I could ever really get the hang of an upright, but I think I'd like to try.

I was looking at a barely used mint condition Englehardt for about $1300. Is that a good beginner upright or should I hold out for something better built? It looks like it's only acoustic right now and I'd assume I'll want to amp it. If I go down that path what kind of a budget should I prep for? I already have a GK 210 combo amp that I suppose would work well with an upright and I don't envision any bow type work so that may be a couple of costs out of the way.

Your thoughts and advice to the upright curious are appreciated. If others with upright experience want to chime in I'm all ears.

Kitty Daddy?! Remind me to kill you later

The upright in my photo is a 1948 Epiphone B4. That same year and model bass was used on all of the Bill Haley and the Comets hits. May sound silly to say, but listen to some of those recordings again. One of the finer examples of recorded slap upright bass to this day.


About 7 years ago, I started filming a documentary about slap upright bass, but a nasty divorce kinda put the breaks on it...here’s a scene...


The first solo, by Joe Fick, was on a normal Englehardt. Perfectly fine basses! Englehardt bought Kay in the early 70’s, and for the first 2-3 years, at least, they are just rebranded Kay’s. I’ve had a few over the years and they get the job done and then some

 

[Count Bassie]

Thought this was relevant. Hope we can all still hang. T-Bird's home state stands up on the map.
Invalid Link Removed

 

[dukeorock]

Kitty Daddy - some nice basses there. Your upright really caught my attention. I've never played upright and my only fretless bass guitar has a lined fretboard so I don't know if I could ever really get the hang of an upright, but I think I'd like to try.

I was looking at a barely used mint condition Englehardt for about $1300. Is that a good beginner upright or should I hold out for something better built? It looks like it's only acoustic right now and I'd assume I'll want to amp it. If I go down that path what kind of a budget should I prep for? I already have a GK 210 combo amp that I suppose would work well with an upright and I don't envision any bow type work so that may be a couple of costs out of the way.

Your thoughts and advice to the upright curious are appreciated. If others with upright experience want to chime in I'm all ears.

The short answer is yes, Engle’s are more than acceptable basses, assuming it’s in good shape with a proper setup and nice strings. They are laminate, or ‘plywood’ basses, so serious jazzers and classical players are gonna snub em, of course. Great plywood basses include...

Kay- case by case, but some are amazing.
Englehardt- same
Epiphone- among my favorite of the laminated basses. A cut above many
King Mortone- probably the most prized in the folk/bluegrass community along with...
American Standard
Upton still makes all sorts of uprights at many different price points. They’re in the North Eastern US. Seriously cool people who are dead serious about making great basses

 

[Larry V]

About 7 years ago, I started filming a documentary about slap upright bass, but a nasty divorce kinda put the breaks on it...here’s a scene...

That's a cool look into that world, Mark. For a lot of us that grew up on the hard rock, hair and metal of the 80's, the Nashville scene is just so foreign but at least as I get older, I'm opening up to country in all its variations. Southern rock is my gateway to country, I just love it.

Any chance the documentary will get finished someday?

BTW, do you know why divorces are so expensive?

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Because they're worth it!

...and don't I know it.

 

[dukeorock]

That's a cool look into that world, Mark. For a lot of us that grew up on the hard rock, hair and metal of the 80's, the Nashville scene is just so foreign but at least as I get older, I'm opening up to country in all its variations. Southern rock is my gateway to country, I just love it.

Any chance the documentary will get finished someday?

BTW, do you know why divorces are so expensive?

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Because they're worth it!

This one was, for me...very expensive, but worth it. A lot of my footage got messed up. I would have to upgrade my computer and editing software to finish it, but honestly, I doubt I will. Maybe just edit a few excerpts here and there and put em on YouTube or whatever. Most everyone I know in the rockabilly/old school country scene are older punk rock and metal fans. For me, punk rock and country are pretty much the same thing at this point. There’s too much great music out there to commit to any one thing, as far as I’m concerned. My gigs over the years have been all over the map and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Which brings us back to T Birds. I never played tons of hard rock/ metal and kinda unjustly placed ‘Birds into that category. In fact, they are a beautiful playing instrument with a very complex sound that just happens to look cool as fvck

 

[Larry V]

Which brings us back to T Birds. I never played tons of hard rock/ metal and kinda unjustly placed ‘Birds into that category. In fact, they are a beautiful playing instrument with a very complex sound that just happens to look cool as fvck

Amen to that, brother!

 

[theFixer]

I get that now that Ive been schooled on the subject, I didnt think my lack of knowledge would have called for the amputation of childrens fingers and my country to be viewed as uncivilized though. Didnt see that coming. You on the other hand have approached the subject and handled it like a pro. I respect your input. And you are a member of a club, Thunderbird Club.

wwweeeelllllll... to keep the record straight... it was me that brought up the children's fingers thing. You tapped a shuttlecock over the net, I returned it with a brick tied to it. That's not my usual "style"...

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

Man, i gotta get with the program here @ProgressiveDoom . Just occurred to me that @TBird1958 might want to be in on the action for our golf suare'.
If that's the case, i'd hope she wants to ride with us in the cart. Right in the middle of us.

For sure Bro, we would squeeze her in between us and we would show her off at every stop on the course. It would be an honour to have her with us, couldnt imagine it any other way. This so needs to happen.

 

[theFixer]

Where's Mike @theFixer?, check this out, not sure if it's your thing or not, but the neck sure looks like it is.

Gibson Victory Standard Early 80's Natural

Always nice to know good friends are thinking about me

I'm not a big fan of the Victory Basses. If I had the money in my pocket, and saw a 2 pickup model in reasonable condition for 5 - 7 hunnerd bux... I might pull the trigger... but they're not on my "gotta have it" list...

 

[TBird1958]

This is just south of my work in Tacoma. Multiple fatalities, injuries in Amtrak train derailment near Lacey
While driving south to work this AM several police vehicles passed me at high speed - responding. Lots of ambulances have been going south past the shop.

 

[Larry V]

This is just south of my work in Tacoma. Multiple fatalities, injuries in Amtrak train derailment near Lacey
While driving south to work this AM several police vehicles passed me at high speed - responding. Lots of ambulances have been going south past the shop.

Wow, that's just awful. Prayers to those in need.

 

[theFixer]

Just be sure to let the starter know you want to be part of a threesome that day, otherwise they'll try to slip a total stranger in the mix to make it a foursome. Some key golf tips that'll help you score good - clean your balls every chance you get; don't get frustrated if you miss the hole; concentrate on your aim and stroke; and always keep your head down.